Luminescence and decay kinetics of Pb2+ center in LiCaAlF6 single crystal host

Abstract The Pb-doped LiCaAlF 6 single crystals were grown using the micro-pulling-down method. The temperature dependences of photoluminescence characteristics were studied to reveal the kinetic processes in the excited state of Pb 2+ luminescence center. A simple three-level phenomenological model applied to the decay time temperature dependences shows that energy separation between the metastable 3 P 0 and the radiative 3 P 1 states of Pb 2+ center is relatively high, about 180 meV (∼1470 cm −1 ). Induced absorption spectrum after UV illumination at 500 K points to slight ionization of the Pb 2+ excited state and creation of the color F-center with an absorption peak located around 260 nm.